diff --git a/src/app/qgsdecorationitem.cpp b/src/app/qgsdecorationitem.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+/***************************************************************************
+                         qgsdecorationitem.cpp
+                         ----------------------
+    begin                : May 10, 2012
+    copyright            : (C) 2012 by Etienne Tourigny
+    email                : etourigny.dev at gmail dot com
+
+ ***************************************************************************/
+
+/***************************************************************************
+ *                                                                         *
+ *   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify  *
+ *   it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by  *
+ *   the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or     *
+ *   (at your option) any later version.                                   *
+ *                                                                         *
+ ***************************************************************************/
+
+#include "qgsdecorationitem.h"
+
+#include "qgisapp.h"
+#include "qgslogger.h"
+#include "qgsmapcanvas.h"
+#include "qgsmaplayer.h"
+#include "qgsmaptopixel.h"
+#include "qgspoint.h"
+#include "qgsproject.h"
+#include "qgssymbollayerv2utils.h" //for pointOnLineWithDistance
+
+#include <QPainter>
+#include <QAction>
+#include <QPen>
+#include <QPolygon>
+#include <QString>
+#include <QFontMetrics>
+#include <QFont>
+#include <QColor>
+#include <QMenu>
+#include <QFile>
+#include <QLocale>
+
+//non qt includes
+#include <cmath>
+
+QgsDecorationItem::QgsDecorationItem( QObject* parent )
+    : QObject( parent )
+{
+  mEnabled = false;
+}
+
+QgsDecorationItem::~QgsDecorationItem()
+{
+
+}
+
+void QgsDecorationItem::update() 
+{ 
+  saveToProject();
+  QgisApp::instance()->mapCanvas()->refresh(); 
+}
+
+void QgsDecorationItem::projectRead()
+{
+  QgsDebugMsg( "Entered" );
+  mEnabled = QgsProject::instance()->readBoolEntry( mNameConfig, "/Enabled", false );
+}
+
+void QgsDecorationItem::saveToProject()
+{
+  QgsDebugMsg( "Entered" );
+  QgsProject::instance()->writeEntry( mNameConfig, "/Enabled", mEnabled );
+}
+void QgsDecorationItem::setName( const char *name ) 
+{ 
+  mName = name; 
+  mNameConfig = name;
+  mNameConfig.remove( " " );
+  mNameTranslated = tr( name );
+  QgsDebugMsg( QString( "name=%1 nameconfig=%2 nametrans=%3").arg(mName).arg(mNameConfig).arg(mNameTranslated) );
+}
diff --git a/src/app/qgsdecorationitem.h b/src/app/qgsdecorationitem.h
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+/***************************************************************************
+                         qgsdecorationitem.h
+                         ----------------------
+    begin                : May 10, 2012
+    copyright            : (C) 2012 by Etienne Tourigny
+    email                : etourigny.dev at gmail dot com
+
+ ***************************************************************************/
+
+/***************************************************************************
+ *                                                                         *
+ *   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify  *
+ *   it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by  *
+ *   the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or     *
+ *   (at your option) any later version.                                   *
+ *                                                                         *
+ ***************************************************************************/
+#ifndef QGSDECORATIONITEM_H
+#define QGSDECORATIONITEM_H
+
+#include <QObject>
+#include "qgslogger.h"
+
+class QPainter;
+
+class QgsDecorationItem: public QObject
+{
+    Q_OBJECT
+  public:
+    //! Constructor
+    QgsDecorationItem( QObject* parent = NULL );
+    //! Destructor
+    virtual ~ QgsDecorationItem();
+
+    void setEnabled( bool enabled ) { mEnabled = enabled; }
+    bool enabled() const { return mEnabled; }
+
+    void update();
+
+  signals:
+    void toggled( bool t );
+
+  public slots:
+    //! set values on the gui when a project is read or the gui first loaded
+    virtual void projectRead();
+    //! save values to the project
+    virtual void saveToProject();
+
+    //! this does the meaty bit of the work
+    virtual void render( QPainter * ) {}
+    //! Show the dialog box
+    virtual void run() {}
+
+    virtual void setName( const char *name );
+    virtual QString name() { return mName; }
+
+  protected:
+
+    /**True if decoration item has to be displayed*/
+    bool mEnabled;
+
+    QString mName;
+    QString mNameConfig;
+    QString mNameTranslated;
+};
+
+#endif